Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 25 August 2009 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Rare bird alerts are now included in the introductory message Coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis [email protected]
At 9:00 AM, Tuesday 25 August 2009 this is Chris Lewis reporting. Fall migration really picked up last week, with a good movement of shorebirds and songbirds observed in several locations. High water on the Ottawa River and the eastern sewage lagoons made for less than ideal shorebird habitat, however at least 13 spp. were reported including SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, SANDERLING, SEMIPALMATED, LEAST, WHITE-RUMPED and PECTORAL SANDPIPER, as well as RED-NECKED PHALAROPE. Since the 19th, groups of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS have been flying through the area; the largest number was nearly 60 in one location on the evening of the 22nd. Among 8 spp. of flycatchers reported were OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS at Britannia on the 20th and Deschenes on the 23rd, multiple sightings of YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS from the 20th to the 24th, and a rather late WILLOW FLYCATCHER near North Russell Rd. on the 23rd. A YELLOW-THROATED VIREO was a nice find at Britannia on the 20th, and PHILADELPHIA VIREOS were seen at Britannia as well as the Fletcher Wildlife Garden from the 22nd to the 24th. A rare-in-Ottawa BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER appeared briefly along a trail at the northeast end of Mud Lake in Britannia on the 22nd, and SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were heard flying over Carlingwood the same evening. At least 20 spp. of warblers have been observed since the 19th. Several mixed flocks included TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, CHESTNUT-SIDED, MAGNOLIA, CAPE MAY, YELLOW-RUMPED, BLACKBURNIAN, BAY-BREASTED, BLACKPOLL, WILSON'S and CANADA among others. A couple of SCARLET TANAGERS and many ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS and BALTIMORE ORIOLES of all ages were also noted. In waterfowl reports, a very early blue morph SNOW GOOSE flew over Britannia on the 23rd, a BRANT is still present at Andrew Haydon Park, a smattering of ducks at the eastern lagoons included WOOD DUCK, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, RING-NECKED DUCK and RUDDY DUCK, and both HOODED and COMMON MERGANSERS were seen at Britannia over the weekend. The most recent report of a GREAT EGRET at the stormwater ponds along Eagleson and Fernbank Rds. was on the 18th. Nine BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were spotted in the Emerald Meadows area on the 19th and several of all ages were seen at Britannia and Deschenes all week. Raptor reports included OSPREY, NORTHERN HARRIER, COOPER'S HAWK, AMERICAN KESTREL, MERLIN and PEREGRINE FALCON, and back on the 17th a pair of adult SANDHILL CRANES with 1 young were spotted in a traditional area near DeWitt's Corners west of Perth. Thank you - Good Birding! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
